AP
A GOP leadership aide confirmed that the
The amendments include a one-year delay of the Affordable Care Act's individual mandate, along with language that would bar lawmakers, Congressional staffers, and administration staffers from receiving federal subsidies for health insurance under Obamacare. That amendment has been offered in the Senate by Sen. David Vitter (R-La.).
There are a number of reasons to think that Speaker Boehner may not have the votes within his own caucus to pass this plan. And the reactions coming out of the House Republican caucus suggest that this could be another "Plan B," fiscal-cliff era redux.
One House member told National Review's Robert Costa that it "sux":
Member txts from inside mtg: "this sux" I respond: "why?" Member doesn't respond
- Robert Costa (@robertcostaNRO) September 30, 2013
Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa) shrugged when asked if Boehner had the votes for the new plan:
Leaving mtg, in same elevator as Sanford, Steve King is vague when pressed on whether Boehner even has votes for new CR plan. Shrugs.
- Robert Costa (@robertcostaNRO) September 30, 2013
Rep. Don Young (R-Alaska) said that
Rep Don Young: "right now they don't have the votes to do anything"
- Jonathan Strong (@j_strong) September 30, 2013
Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.), one of the House's most conservative members, isn't voting for it:
Rep. Michele Bachmann won't vote for new House plan, says it "doesn't go far enough."
- Sabrina Siddiqui (@SabrinaSiddiqui) September 30, 2013
And NBC's Luke Russert is already seeing opposition:
Opposition comes from some members opposed to cutting health plans of staffers.
- Luke Russert (@LukeRussert) September 30, 2013
What's behind the early opposition? Delaying the individual mandate and adding the Vitter amendment doesn't get at the heart of the conservative crusade in this
Remember, three weeks ago, Boehner and House Majority Leader Eric Cantor offered members a plan that would served as a ploy to make the Senate vote on Obamacare defunding - but would have kept the government funded if the Senate didn't pass Obamacare defunding. Conservatives called this out as a gimmick that wouldn't defund Obamacare.
Second, the Vitter amendment might not get support because it would directly hit the pockets of Congressional staffers. When Vitter tried to bring up his amendment during debate over an unrelated energy-efficiency bill, Politico's Ginger Gibson reported that staffers from Republican offices were reaching out to their Democratic counterparts to get assurance that the amendment would not pass.